Into The Hornet's Nest
by Corona 1
Summary: A murder in New York, that's nothing new. Right? Except the murdered are left as skeletons and the murderer is a creature of unknown species. Sounds like a job for the turtles... and they're going to need help. TMNT/Doctor Who Xover
1. Chapter 1

Hey there everyone! I've been a fan of TMNT and Doctor Who for a long time now, so I thought 'why not put them together'? Hope you like it!

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Disclaimer: Don't own anything to do with any of the characters, except my OC's. That is all.

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It was a dark evening in New York City. Ominous rain clouds threatened to split open as they rolled across the sky. A silhouetted figure darted along the alleyways, trying hopelessly to flee his attacker. A menacing, high pitched buzzing followed him everywhere he went.

"What do you want?!" he cried, groaning in despair when he came to a dead end. He gulped. Dead was just the word. The buzzing slowed, menacing, threatening, coming closer and closer.

"Please! I'll give you anything you want! Please let me go!"

"Anything?" The voice sounded raspy, almost buzzing. "Very well, human. I want only thiszzzzz." There was a pause; distant rumbles of thunder could be heard.

"N-name your price." A shriek of victory accompanied by a scream of terror and pain and death broke the heavy atmosphere. And all the wandering passerby would have seen is the shadow of a man.

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The storm crashed into New York in full force, even halting the 'night patrol'.

"Leo, the wind's getting too strong! We're gonna have to turn back!" Donatello called, holding up his arms in a bid to fight of the wind. Leonardo nodded.

"You're right, Donnie! Nobody in their right mind would be out now! C'mon guys, let's head home!" There were no arguments, not even from the most hot-headed of the group. There was no point. The wind was now accompanied by driving rain and deep throated rumbles of thunder. And yet, Leo was still sure that he heard something else. Something in the distance, something foreign. Stopping momentarily, he looked out over the city, paying very little heed to the freezing October rain.

"Yo Leo! You frozen over there?" Raphael called.

"Huh? No, I…thought I heard something!"

"What?" Leo sighed. There was no point in saying anything in this weather. Maybe it was a good thing that they were heading back.

"Never mind!"

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The fact was, Leonardo had heard something in the distance, and it certainly was foreign. A rasping, grinding sound of ancient engines joined the crescendo of the wind, rising and falling in pitch in a steady motion, keeping time like the ticking of a clock…or the beat of a heart. Finally, with a soft thump, the blue 1950's police box fully materialised from the Time Vortex, along the shoreline of the Hudson River. There was a pause before the door opened. A tall brown haired man poked his head out of the door.

"Ooh, bit brisk for this time of year! Better dress up warm, Professor!" he headed back inside for a brief moment before fully exiting the box, wrapped in a long brown trench coat that reached to his ankles. Next to him stood a brown haired woman, her bright blue eyes contrasting with his brown ones. She pulled on a black trench coat, similar in style to his.

"It is just a bit, isn't it? Sea storm." The Doctor nodded.

"You can taste the salt."

"I can taste something else as well."

"Let's not go there." He winked at her playfully.

"I was only going to say that I can taste the smog of good old 21st century New York! C'mon then, are we going or what?" It was her turn to wink playfully at the Doctor. Stopping only to lock the door, they took off for the centre of the city.

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Ok, that's chapter one. Sorry it's really short, but I didn't want to make it sound like it was running on, you know? Hope you all like it!

Please read and review! Please no flames, if it can be helped. Constructive criticism is welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm so glad that this has gone down so well. :) I was actually a little nervous as to how people would take it, but it seems it's well liked. So here's chapter 2.

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Disclaimer: if only. I'd be rich rich RICH! (Ahem) sorry about that, but you get the idea.

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It was morning before the body was found. The skeletal remains of a man. The only difference with this was the clothes were still on him. Michelangelo, after deciding he was bored, had gone top side, in disguise of course. The usual disguise- long brown rain coat and wide brimmed hat. He was the one to discover it.

"Eww! Gross! Wait til I tell the guys!" He quickly slipped down the manhole, running as fast as he could back to the lair.

"Guys! Guys! You gotta see this!"

"What is it now, Mikey?" Leo lowered his book, looking unenthusiastically towards his younger brother. They knew where he had been. Why else would he be in disguise?

"I went upstairs, right, and I found something that is totally gross!"

"Oh, that means he found a mirror, then." Raphael joked, stopping from his training for only a moment.

"Ha ha, Raph. But I'm serious! You gotta come and see this" Leonardo sighed. They weren't going to get any rest unless they went with it.

"Ok, Mikey. What did you see?" He stood from his seat. The hyperactive turtle beckoned for them to follow him.

"We may as well, or none of us are going to hear the end of it." The three turtles followed their younger brother up out of the sewers.

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"Ya see? Right there!" Michelangelo stood triumphantly next to the skeleton.

"O-k, I gotta admit that's pretty creepy," Raph stated.

"And the baffling thing is they look fresh." Donatello knelt down next to the remains. Leonardo looked puzzled.

"We'll take them to the lair and get them checked out. We don't want them to be discovered by some innocent person. It'll create a panic." Donatello nodded.

"You're right there. Mikey, that bag behind you, pass it over to me."

"Sure bro, but what for?" The youngest pulled a black bin liner out from in the rubbish.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, we don't exactly have any sort of equipment to take this down to the lair with us. And we don't know what viral infections maybe on it, especially if it's been out all night," Don explained. Using the bag as a guard, he quickly wrapped the skeleton in its makeshift carrier, trying his hardest not to touch it.

"Oh, yeah, sure, and just where are we gonna put it? It'll look lovely on the couch!" Raphael folded his arms over his chest, waiting for the designated leader to respond. Leo sighed.

"Raph, we don't have time for this, ok? We'll discuss it at the lair. C'mon guys, it's starting to get busy." They quickly slipped into the manhole, taking the remains with them.

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Almost an hour, that's how long Donatello had been working on the remains. Leo and Raph had had their 'brotherly discussion', leaving the hot-headed turtle in a sulk.

"Any luck, Donnie? Need any help?" Michelangelo asked, stepping a little too close for the scientist's liking.

"Er, no thanks Mikey. I think I have it covered." He forced a smile, hoping that Mikey would, for once, get the hint. Of course that never worked.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"I'm trying to work."

"I can see that, but whatcha doin'?" Donatello sighed.

"Look, Mikey, I've got a lot of work to do on this, but you're really not making it easy for me. Why don't you play one of your games or something?" That seemed to do. In all honesty, Donatello wasn't even sure he had his younger brother move so fast, except in a fight, but that was a given. And now it was Leo's turn.

"Hey, Don. How's it going?" The turtle sighed in defeat.

"I dunno, Leo. I've never seen anything like this before. I was actually thinking we could go topside for a while, see April and see if she knows anything. After all, this was pretty close to her apartment. And maybe we'd better see Casey. If he was out, he might have seen or heard something." The leader thought about it.

"I'll make sure with Master Splinter first. You know what happened the last time we sneaked out in broad daylight, and I don't think he knows about this morning, yet." Donatello absently rubbed his cheek.

"Yeah, ok Leo."

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As predicted, it had been difficult. Once Leo had explained their motives for going topside, Splinter seemed a little more lenient. "Just stay out of sight" was the warning.

Right now, they were leaping their way across to April's apartment. The storm from the night before had really cleared the air, puddles glistening in the bright mid-morning sunlight. The bright azure sky almost concealed the fact that the clouds had been so angry that night. But, to them, it felt as if a dark cloud of foreboding was constantly hanging around them. What if whoever (or whatever) this was struck again? What if there were more grisly remains to be found? Only time would tell. And time, Leo felt, was something they were running out of.

Once they reached April's apartment, no one was inside.

"She must be in the shop." Sneaking down the fire escape, they stopped when a bloodcurdling scream was emitted from inside. They looked at each other.

"April!"

The red haired woman was almost shocked that the door had remained on its hinges. That is, she would be if she didn't feel sick at that moment.

"April! What is it? What happened?" Leo asked. Shaking, she pointed behind the counter. Weapons at the ready, Leo and Raph rounded the counter from opposite sides.

"Not another one!"

"Y-you mean there's more!?"

"Well, one that we found earlier." April, unable to contain her shock and disgust anymore, ran into the back room. Donatello bent over to inspect the remains.

"Just as I thought."

"What is it, Donnie?" Leo looked over his shoulder, eyebrows furrowed.

"This is practically the same as the last one we found. The only differences being the place it's found, and the fact that it's female." An angry humming cut off Leo's response.

"What's that?" There was nothing in sight, just the humming. Almost like that of an insect's wings. A very big insect's wings. A scream alerted them to just where it was coming from.

"April!"

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April was trying her very best to fend off the creature, batting at it with a sweeping brush, but she was getting nowhere. It was a huge mosquito-esque creature, its blood red eyes fixed on her. It swooped for another attack. April only just managed to dive out of the way before the giant insect's proboscis stabbed into her.

"April! Outside, quick!" Leonardo ordered, round-housing the creature into the far wall and grabbing her wrist and pulling her from the room. It gave an awful shriek and tried to follow, only to be knocked back down by a well aimed blow from Donatello's Bo staff.

"I've only dazed it! Let's get out of here before it…" The humming became furious once again as the insect recovered faster than expected.

"RUN!!" The turtles and their human friend tore out of the back door, the monster slamming into the wall where they had just been standing.

"What is that thing!?" April shrieked, looking back over her shoulder.

"I don't know, but we can't seem to shake it!" Donatello cried back.

"Have I ever told anyone that I REALLY hate bugs?" Raphael asked, casting an angry glance at the creature still following them.

"Everyone split up!" Leo ordered. "April, go with Raph! It can't follow all of us!" The moment they came to a fork, they split off, April being tugged along by Raphael.

And yet it still followed her without hesitation. It soon became obvious that it wasn't the turtles it was after… it was April. It made another stab at her with the needle like protrusion, just skimming her hair. She screamed, batting at it with her hand. They suddenly stopped. Raphael pulled her behind him, Sais drawn and a look of pure anger plaguing his face.

"Ok, bug. Let's dance." It lunged forward, slamming into the red-bandana wearing turtle, his Sais just scraping over the seemingly fragile wings. With a haunting scream, it crashed the turtle into the far wall, dazing him. The creature then turned its attention back to April. With a shriek of triumph, it dove…

TBC

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Ooh, I'm so evil, leaving you hanging like that. Sorry its short, i thought it would spoil it if i carried on. Don't worry, I won't leave you hanging too long, chapter three should be up soon. Until then, stay tuned folks!

In the next chapter- help arrives. And perhaps some answers.


	3. Chapter 3

And here's chapter three! I'm so sorry about the wait guys.

Erm before I go any further, there's something that I want to point out. The Professor's eyes are actually golden brown. She was still in her experimental stages when I first wrote this. Her profile is in my profile. Ok? Just thought I'd point it out before everyone asks why I'd suddenly changed her eye colour.

Right, now that's done with. On with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't in anyway shape or form own the Turtles or their friends, the Doctor's TARDIS, the Doctor's sonic screwdriver (well, actually...) or, unfortunately for me but very fortunately for him, the Doctor. All rights belong to their respective owners. Only the Professor belongs to me (Though she constantly tries to contest that point.)

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April threw her hands over her head as the creature dove. Its blood red, bulbous eyes were glistening in triumph, shining hungrily as it got closer...closer...closer. April could feel the breeze its wings created as it swooped low. It skimmed her hair, knarled legs brushing through it, strands catching on the hooks of its feet and pulled out as it rose. April peeked over her arms. It was still staring at her. Was it toying with her? She soon got her answer as the insect dove again, its screech slicing through the air. April shrieked again, throwing her hands over her head once more. She waited with baited breath for the needle like protrusion to pierce her skin.

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The morning traffic was beginning to get into full swing as people rushed to their workplaces. Shoppers lined the streets, pushing anyone stood still along with them. The Doctor was beaming as he expertly navigated his way through the crowds. The Professor was having a little more trouble. Finally, she found her way to his side.

"It's almost as bad as the crowds of Midas 9 here! How do you manage to keep dodging past people?"

"Because..." He froze, dark eyes scanning the area around him. The Professor heard it too, but decided to try and brush it aside. She was rather enjoying her conversation with the Time Lord.

"Because...?" He hushed her, waving his hand. His brow was furrowed. The Professor hushed immediately, listening intently to a strange sound that wasn't coming from any of the traffic. Her brow also furrowed as she turned to the Doctor.

"Do you hear something?"

"Yes, I do. Buzzing. Insectivorous buzzing. But it sounds much too big to be Earthen life-form." His face became stern as he listened to the sound, determining where it's coming from.

"This way Professor!" Coat flapping behind him, he took off through the throng, who shouted after him (among other things) as he pushed past them, leaving the Professor to apologise. She soon caught up with him, matching his speed. They halted when a scream reached their ears.

"That wasn't very insectivorous."

"Nope. That was all too human. C'mon!" As one, they darted round the corner, just as the insect lunged.

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April waited for the attack. A thud and a yell drew her attention. Peeking over her arms again, she spotted someone wrestling with the giant creature, his brown coat flapping as it tried to buck him off, his dark brown hair blowing in the breeze from its wings. He was being thrown around, clinging on almost for dear life as the creature's struggles became more aggressive and desperate. A woman ran over to her, extending her hand towards her, her golden brown eyes gleaming with warmth and urgency.

"Take my hand. Trust me." April did just that, allowing the woman to help her to her feet. The creature hissed angrily as it flew wildly, whacking the man into walls. He grunted as he tried to bring it down. But without much luck.

"Professor! A little help, please?" The woman smiled to April, making to run over to her friend, who had finally been bucked off and was lying on the floor. She grabbed it by the abdomen, swinging it round and away from her friend. The insect swung round, throwing her back towards April. She shook her head, clearing the daze as April helped her up. The creature turned back towards the man and seemed to be staring him down, almost as if trying to decide what he was. It made to lunge forward, only to be batted away by a slim pole. The Doctor looked up at his rescuer as the Professor ran back to him. Giant Turtles? Well, why not? This was New York City after all.

Recovering its composure, the insect looked at its attackers before deciding that it was out-numbered. Not that that stopped it from trying its luck with April again. It darted towards her, only to be struck by a shuriken. It shrieked in agony as the metal teeth bit into its exoskeleton, writhing and swinging wildly, spraying fine droplet of purple blood onto the nearby wall. It shot a glare to the now conscious Raphael, his hand still outstretched. It gave up, whining and hissing, taking off into the air, shuriken and all. They were silent for a moment before the turtles cheered, high fiving each other. Donatello helped his older brother up, who grimaced.

"You ok, Raph?"

"Fine, Don. Just hate bugs. I mean, really hate bugs." April looked to the strangers as the woman helped her friend up off the ground. They seemed to have gone unnoticed for the moment, talking with each other. She ran over to them.

"Thanks so much. If you hadn't shown up...I dread to think what would have happened."

"Don't worry about it. Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to you." The turtles turned to the strangers as they spoke to the red-haired woman. They looked to each other. Splinter would kill them if he found out that they'd let themselves be seen by more humans.

"Guys, I think a quick retreat is in order."

"For once, Leo, I agree with ya." They slipped into the shadows, about to make their escape, when they were stopped.

"Hey, fellas! Hang on there!" They turned to find the man coming towards them, a bright smile on his face.

"Listen, sir, you might not want to come very much closer if you don't want a shock." Don warned.

"Shock? Me? Not very much shocks me anymore. Believe me. Lived long enough. Anyway, I wanted to thank you for your help. I'm the Doctor, by the way. What's your name?" The teenagers glanced at each other. Was this guys for real? Most humans ran off screaming the moment they clapped eyes on them, or tried to make scrambled turtles out of them. They shrugged. These people had just saved April from that creature, so they couldn't be all that bad. Right? He extended his hand towards them.

"It's ok, I won't bite." Leonardo, with some hesitation, took it upon himself to be the first to shake hands with the stranger. Strange how the Doctor didn't flinch away when his green, three fingered hand clasped his. If anything, the man's eyes seemed to get brighter, matching his grin.

"Leonardo. And these are my brothers, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo. And our friend, April." The Doctor seemed thoughtful for a moment, almost as if recounting past events.

"I've met all of those at one time or another. Very nice blokes, bit on the eccentric side though. Not met an April before though. Well, not that I can remember anyway." Someone cleared their throat behind him. He turned and smiled apologetically. "Yes. Sorry. This is my friend and companion, the Professor." She extended her hand, also smiling.

"Charmed, I'm sure." She seemed calmer than her friend, though she still gave off the same amount of trust. She nodded to them before turning back to the man. "Now that the niceties are over with, we really must get going Doctor." She glanced pointedly at him. He nodded.

"Yes, right. Investigation time."

"Investigation?"

"Yeah. As I'm sure you will know, that was not an Earth insect. We need to find out what it wants here."

"Are you from an investigative team?"

"We _are _an investigative team. Freelance, you might say. Don't worry, we're not from the government or anything at all like that." The Professor had spotted their suspicious glances. It was clear that they weren't sure about them, which, she supposed, was understandable. April decided to break the tension that was hanging over them.

"So, a doctor and a professor. Maybe you could help with what the guys have found?" She glanced to the turtles, who shot her questioning looks.

"Found? Ooh, they've found something have you found?"

"I found it! I found it! It's absolutely, totally gross! But cool!" The strangers exchanged glances, cocking an eyebrow at each other before turning back to them. The Doctor's eyes seemed to mirror Mikey's eagerness immediately.

"Any chance that we could see this thing that you've found?" That seemed to make them somewhat uneasy.

"Well...that could be a bit of a problem. You see, our father is a bit...suspicious when it comes to us bringing strangers back to our home. You know, safety and all."

"Yes, yes I understand that. Because humans don't fully understand, do they?" Leo shook his head. "Fair dos, just a suggestion. But we do need to look for clues. Oh, don't you just feel like that gang off that cartoon? You know, the one with the talking dog?" The Time Lady covered her eyes with her hand, sighing.

"I'm sorry about him. He can get a little...strange. you'll get used to him, I'm sure."

"Yes, well, if it's clues you're looking for, there's a pretty big one in my shop. Come with me, I'll show you." The strangers looked at each other and nodded. The Professor grabbed the Time Lord by the arm, pulling him along with her.

"Come on, Fred."

"Oi! Don't call me Fred! I'm not keen on the name Fred. Velma!" The Professor rolled her eyes, muttering something that sounded a little like 'such a child', following their new found acquaintances. With April leading and the turtles behind, the Time Lord and Lady made their way towards the shop, and towards the gruesome remains.

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I'm not overly impressed with this chapter, but no matter how I reword it, this is how it wants to be told. Hope you enjoyed it! Sorry about the wait guys. Had major writer's block with this story. Hopefully it'll end with this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

Looks like I may be back in business. Hopefully this means that the writer's block has definitely gone and is going to let me continue this story. Only one way to find out!

Disclaimer: Out of everything in this fic, only the Professor and the bugs belong to me.

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It hadn't taken the group very long to get to know the newcomers. It was strange how willing they were to accept the Turtles, without even so much as a hint of shock or fear. One thing was for sure, these weren't ordinary people.

"So, Doc, you got a name go with your title?" The tall man turned to the red clad turtle and grinned.

"Nope. Just the Doctor." If it was possible, his grin seemed to widen and brighten as Raph cocked an eyebrow. "Honest! Not making it up as some way of protecting my identity. I'm just the Doctor."

"What's your doctorate in?" This time, it was the purple clad turtle. What was his name again? Donatello. The Doctor turned to him, walking backwards, expertly dodging trash and anything else that could pose a threat to his balance.

"Oh, you know, many things. History, science, etcetera etcetera etcetera."

"And also a degree in being a know-it-all."

"Oi! You need talk! You were just as bad when you were younger." The Professor looked indignant.

"I was not!" He winked at his new found friends.

"Oh, my dear Professor. If I remember correctly: while we were at the Academy you had to be right about everything. There really was no arguing with this one, you know." He pointed at the brown haired woman while beaming at the turtles. She sighed in exasperation.

"Simply because someone had to, especially seeing as you went gallivanting off to the Medusa Cascade every chance you got."

"I was 80 years old when I started gallivanting! Besides, not my fault if I found the Academy stuffy."

"Someone had to pick up the slack." The brothers glanced at each other, not really sure what was going on.

"Erm, Medusa Cascade? Academy? What are you talking about?" The Professor glanced over her shoulder at the blue banded turtle.

"Long story. And will you watch where you're going!" She grabbed the Time Lord's arm, spinning him. He stumbled, shocked by the sudden attack, and nearly crashed into a dumpster.

"What was that for?"

"You were about to crash into it."

"I knew where it was!" He huffed indignantly, causing the Time Lady to chuckle and shake her head.

"Doctor, the indignant expression really is not very becoming of you." He glanced at her, sticking his tongue out. Mikey clasped a hand over his mouth, hoping to suppress the giggle. The older turtles glanced at each other.

"O-k. I'm guessing you two are related the way you're carrying on." They seemed genuinely shocked, glancing at each other and then back at Leo.

"Us? Related? Nooo. Well, we're close enough to be."

"But you do have a family. Right?" The atmosphere became heavy with silence, almost suffocatingly so. The Doctor's mood changed immediately as he expertly danced around the issue.

"I'm guessing you four are, right?" The turtles glanced at each other. Why had they refused to answer the question? Deciding not to press the issue until later, they nodded. Raph grinned.

"What gave it away?"

"Oh, you know, the strong familial connections, the family resemblance."

"I'm the pretty one!" Michelangelo cut in, earning a laugh from the man and a slap up the head courtesy of Raphael.

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April stopped in front of the side door to her shop, suddenly looking very nervous.

"I hope you're not squeamish or anything." The Time Lord and Lady glanced at each other.

"Oh, I'm sure we've seen plenty of things in our lifetimes. Lead the way, Miss O'Neil." The Doctor smiled warmly, urging her on. April gulped, her hand shaking as she opened the door. The Doctor immediately rushed inside, the Professor not far behind. The turtles followed along with April, though she needed the extra support. Donatello held her hand, smiling encouragingly at his human friend.

"Goodness me. Doctor, look at this." The Professor was stooped behind the counter, her head popping up and nodding to the tall man, their earlier argument completely forgotten. His expression had changed again. Gone was the warm, friendly smile. A gaze filled with curiosity had taken its place, which again changed into a concerned frown. He stooped down next to the woman, sweeping something over the remains, bathing them in a blue light.

"Strange."

"Definitely not Vespiform."

"Nope. Vespiform wouldn't do this. Everything's just...gone. Like it was absorbed." The turtles watched in silence as the man and woman talked between themselves. The Doctor reached into his coat pocket, pulling a glass vial out, sweeping something up off the ground and depositing it into the container.

"What have we here?" He held it up to the light, frowning in thought.

"What is it?"

"See for yourself." He handed the woman the vial.

"It looks like a fragment of a cocoon." He hummed. "You think there are more of these things?"

"I do indeed. The one we stopped out in the alley was not mature."

"Not exactly in larval stage either."

"Nope. Just come out of it." Leo shook his head, waving his hands around and catching their attention.

"Wait a moment; are you saying that that thing _wasn't_ an adult?" They turned to the turtles, almost as if just remembering that they were there. The Doctor looked back down at the remains, puffing out his cheeks in thought and wiping a hand over his chin.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. I think I know what we're dealing with, but I have to be sure." He turned his full attention to the leader. "We must see whatever it is that you gents have found. I have to be certain that the creature that attacked April and this unfortunate young woman is the only one. And if it's isn't, I need to know just how many there are." The room went silent as the turtles glanced warily at each other. It was bad enough that they had let themselves be known by two complete strangers, but to actually let them into their home?

"I don't know." The Doctor sighed.

"Look, Leonardo, I understand why you don't want us to come down into your home. I do, honest. But, this could be the first of many. I, sorry, _we_, like you, want to make sure that no more occur. And we can figure this out much, much faster if we get to look at all the clues." He levelled his gaze with the leader's. Something in his eyes radiated trust. The same with the Professor. They weren't about to sell them out. They would keep their whereabouts secret. Leo sighed, glancing at his brothers. They shrugged. Hesitantly, he agreed.

"Alright. But on one condition. You let me speak to our father before you come rushing in."

"Understood."

"Gotcha." Leo nodded, leading the way. He just hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

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Deep below the ground, lower than the sewers, something stirred. Blood red eyes searched the dim, unearthly lit cavern as the pained whines and hisses echoed on the walls. The mosquito-esque creature flew into the cavern, swaying dangerously, crashing into the walls. A larger insect swooped down towards it, touching its quivering body with its antennae. Reaching out with a leg, it grasped the shining metal of the shuriken, pulling it out of the younger's body. It hissed in agony, fresh blood oozing from the cut.

"What happened, young one?" he hissed. The younger creature whined and hissed, pushing itself up onto its weak, spindly legs.

"They dare to attack uszzzz? We zzshall zzzzzsee about that. Go. Resst." The insect bowed, crawling away. With a shriek, the creature threw the bladed weapon, watching in anger as it struck the wall. "They dare to attack the Hornetszzz? Theszze...green skinned creatureszzz and their pathetic human friendszzzz? Our numberszz are too few to withszztand an attack. Our Queen iszz dying, our guardszz are few, and our pupae are not yet ready to be releasssed from their confinessss. Without nourishment, they will sssoon perish. And thessse creatureszz are the only thingszz on thiszz planet that can feed them." He fell quite, only the buzzing of his wings could be heard. He turned his attention to the quivering form of the young Hornet, already encased in its protective comb. Its wounds were painful, but they were healing. With rest, it would be up to its usual antics again, though perhaps more cautious of the outside world.

"Thiszz planet will become our new nessst, and thessse humanszz shall become our food or our slaveszzz. I had a tassste of their flesh lassst night, asss did the young one. Quite sussstaining. And there are enough on thisss planet to feed our descendantsss. But, planning mussst wait. Thessse creaturesss mussst be dealt with firssstt. And they will be!"

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And that's chapter four. Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Alright! Chapter 5! Woo! Ahem, anyway...

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers for not giving up on this story, even though I hadn't uploaded it in a while. Thanks a bunch guys! Also, I've had a couple of people asking me which Doctor this is. Just to clear it up now, it's the Tenth. I apologise if I'm not very good at writing him. I'm trying to do him justice, but he can be quite difficult sometimes.

Ok, now that's cleared up, on with the story.

Disclaimer: Only the Professor, the Hornets and the plot belong to me. Everyone and everything else belongs to their respective owners.

...Change in place

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The dark, damp sewers cast very little comfort for the group as they made their way through them, with only the reassurance of recognition for the turtles. Sounds were amplified and shadows seemed to loom above them. Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they splashed through the dank sewer water, the mucky liquid roaring in their ears as they went past falls. It was all rather disorienting for the Professor. If there was one thing she hadn't had enough experience with, it was walking through sewers. The Doctor, on the other hand, seemed to be loving their little tour through the underground system, keen to talk about the last time he had experienced the damp, malodorous tunnels.

"I keep expecting to see a Dalek around one of the corners. Or maybe a Pigman. I'll tell you, that was one time I thought I'd had it. Had to climb up the top of the Empire State Building. Got myself electrocuted up there. Not fun, don't try it."

"Daleks? Pigmen? What the shell are ya talkin' about?" Raphael cocked an eye ridge at the Doctor. This guy just didn't make any sense. The man simply smiled.

"Story for another time." The Professor grinned, a sparkle in her eyes.

"Trust me; he'll be more than happy to impart any one of his stories onto anyone who'll sit still long enough to listen." The Doctor stuck his tongue out at her, immediately regretting it as his heightened senses detected the pungent odour of the water. He grimaced, immediately trying to brush the taste away.

"Serves you right." The leader wasn't listening to the discussion behind him. The blue banded turtle had his guard up, eyes sweeping every shadow. Something didn't feel right, almost as if they were being watched. They were close to the Lair now, so close. Just a little further and they would be able to settle in the sanctity of their home. He hoped. He stopped dead, causing those behind him to crash into him.

"For crud's sake Leo! How about a little warnin' next time you decide to become a road block!" The eldest turned to his hot-headed brother, signalling him to be silent. Normally, this would anger Raph, but the unmistakeable glint in his brother's eye, noticeable even in this darkness, was enough to stop him. Drawing out his sais, he signalled the others to do the same. April stepped next to the man and woman. They had changed also, becoming stern and tense. Something was there, something they couldn't see, but they could certainly sense.

"Guys, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Just stay behind us April." Weapons drawn, the turtles formed a tight circle around their friends, facing outwards towards danger.

"Let's keep moving. Stay on guard guys. We're not too far from home." The darkness suddenly dissipated as a strange blue light emanated from inside the circle, accompanied by a strange humming. Peering over his shoulder, Don tried to see what the Doctor was holding. It was the same item he had used in April's shop.

"Doctor, what is that?"

"Sonic screwdriver. I'm picking up a signal from some form of device. A cloak maybe?"

"Save the science for home. Let's move." No one argued, following the eldest's lead. Familiar brick and tile work became apparent in the dim lighting Donatello had installed sometime ago, indicating home. Reaching out and pulling on the hidden lever, Leo moved aside to allow everyone into the safety of the Lair. The feeling had passed as soon as the Doctor's device had been activated, but there was no harm in being cautious. Nothing. Everything had returned to silence, apart from the running water. Breathing a sigh of relief, Leo sheathed his swords and entered the sanctuary of his home. He looked to the newcomers, remembering their earlier agreement. So much for waiting until he had spoken to his father, but they didn't really have very much of a choice. Whatever was out there couldn't have been good, especially if the events of the morning were anything to go by. The Doctor was looking around the home from where he was standing, eyes softening and taking a different gleam.

"Nice. Very nice. Who would've thought that the sewers could be so...homey?" Mikey grinned before running over to the wall of TVs, diving into the rather battered sofa and instantly scooping up the remote, losing himself to channel surfing. The Professor walked around the immediate area, getting a feel for the home. There was a distinctly Japanese ambience to most parts of the underground area, which made sense. Their new friends were, after all, ninja. She was trying to imagine what their father would look like. An elderly turtle, perhaps? She glanced at the turtles. What planet were they from anyway? She had met testudine races before, but never ones who fought with such grace as they did. She was pulled from her reverie by the sound of a door sliding open. Turning, she watched, with some surprise, an elderly rat in traditional Japanese robes exit the room. He noticed the newcomers, stopping dead.

"Boys." The turtles immediately ran to him, lining up in front of him. "Leonardo?" He waited patiently for an explanation.

"Master Splinter. I know we shouldn't bring people to our home without your permission, but we didn't have very much choice. We need their help, and they are the only ones who know what is going on." Splinter turned to the man and woman. They bowed to him in respect. He inspected them, immediately picking up on the trust they emanated. He trusted his son's judgement. The Doctor said something, in Japanese, that only the rat and the Time Lady picked up. The sensei smiled and nodded.

"Very well. You are welcome in our home." He turned to his four sons. "Boys, whatever you plan to do, make sure that it does not interfere with my stories." He smiled, making his way over the TV wall and claiming the spot his youngest son had just vacated. The man turned, beaming, and clapped his hands together.

"So. To business." Donatello motioned for him to follow. The woman turned to the Doctor, lowering her voice.

"I'll let you look for now. I'm going to try and find out anything I can about our new found friends. Call me through if you find anything." He smiled and winked before nodding.

"Sounds like a plan Professor." Straightening, the Doctor sprang after the scientist, leaving the Professor alone with the three turtles and human. The silence was becoming a little awkward, and, not one to sit or stand still for long, Mikey quickly left the group, instantly making his way over to the indoor skateboard ramp they had created.

"Well, I guess that leaves the four of us. Shall we get to know each other a little better? I don't know about you, but I for one like to know the people I'm working with."

"You guys can do the talkin'. Me? I got a date with the punching bag." Raph didn't wait for a response, simply making his way to the training area. April smiled a little, turning to the other woman.

"Don't mind Raph."

"Oh, I won't. Well, our group does seem to be dissolving. Shall we make ourselves comfortable before we lose anymore members?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Doctor looked around the makeshift laboratory with some admiration. It was quite obvious from the outside that it had been the carriage of a subway train, and he wondered briefly how they had managed to get it into their home in the first place. Inside was different. Instead of the seats and poles the Time Lord was expecting, there were worktables and benches and shelves. Beakers, flasks and racks of test tubes sat in neat rows upon one table with almost uniform precision, papers and books in perfect piles next to them. A computer sat upon its neighbour, the screen black for the moment. This, he assumed, was Donatello's analytical bench, as all manner of deductive instruments lay upon it, from bottles of liquids to microscopes and even something that could have been a DNA Sequencer, though where he had procured that failed him. Across from those, on the worktable, the order was a little lacking, but then again, how ordered could piles of technological carcasses really be? All manner of broken electrical equipment sat on the bench, some stripped of parts, others waiting their turn, while a few seemed to be on the road to completion. Welders, solders, wrenches and unidentifiable apparatus sat in the forefront of the medley, lined up in their own order for easy pick up. The Doctor reasoned that the young turtle spent most of his time with his eyes fixed solely on whatever project happened to take his fancy. At the far end of the booth sat an obvious medical area, complete with a bed and curtain. The cabinet next to the cot obviously held the medical equipment, though what equipment it held, the Doctor couldn't say, and he wasn't really in the prying mood. Not since something much more interesting had caught his eye. The final bench was covered with a sheet, a questionable shape underneath it. He guessed that that was the clue the young turtles had been talking about, his hunch answered as the scientist made his way over to it.

"This it?" Donatello nodded solemnly.

"Yeah. This is it. Ready?" The Doctor threw off his long brown coat onto a nearby chair, pulling black framed glasses out of his jacket pocket and slipping them on, his expression serious. He nodded once, shoving his hands in his pockets as the turtle carefully pulled the sheet away from the grotesque form underneath. His frown deepened as he walked over to the remains, casting his gaze over the whole skeleton several times. Donatello stepped back, allowing the Doctor more room to move.

"I've already done all the tests I can do for the moment, but I simply can't find anything other than this." He pointed to the bottom of the fifth rib, near the centre of the body. Fiddling with his glasses, the Doctor leaned in and inspected the area more closely. A narrow, straight groove, unnatural to the rib's anatomy, was apparent upon the bone's surface, about as wide as a needle and travelling from the front to the back of the rib. His frown deepened further.

"Exactly the same. Well, more precise. Not as clumsy as the other one, and on a different rib. But still the same trademark."

"What do you make of it?"

"What do _you_ make of it?"

"Well, I'm not entirely sure. After seeing that creature, I'd say it had been made by the proboscis." The Doctor flashed him a glance.

"You'd be right, I think. Did you find anything else?"

"Nothing of real interest. The victim's clothing. No ID, though he still had his personal affects with him."

"Can I see them?" He turned to the shorter turtle, eyes bright and sharp.

"Um, yeah." He pulled a plastic bag from under the table, taking the items from its confines. They unfolded the clothing, the Doctor's nimble fingers working quickly over the fabric, feeling every crinkle and crease for God knows what, eyes searching. Donatello watched him work, slightly taken aback by the sheer speed and intensity. He had never seen anyone quite like this person in front of him. He began to wonder if he _was_ human, or something else. His thoughts were cut short, however, by the man's sudden shout of excitement.

"Don. Tweezers." He wiggled his fingers, waiting for the item in question. With practised ease, the turtle reached behind him and plucked the slim piece of bent metal, handing it to the man. The item was snatched from his hand at such a speed, Donatello wondered how the limb was still intact. Whipping off his glasses, the Doctor held the instrument to the light, brown eyes gleaming. Frowning, the turtle looked closer.

"Doctor?"

"This is it, Donatello. This is the final piece of the puzzle! Oh yes!" He held the item out for inspection, giving it to the scientist.

"I'm going to need a closer look."

"Go ahead! Though, I can tell you know what it is." The questioning glance was all the Doctor needed.

"Exoskeletal flake! Now, you know that Earth bound insects shed their skins when they become too large for them. Well, so do extraterrestrial insects. But there are only two insectivorous races that I have come across in this sector that shed their skins in flakes, and one of them is herbivorous!" His eyes were bright with excitement, and he seemed to be having trouble keeping himself on the ground. He grinned brightly, bolting past the bemused turtle and out into the main area of Lair.

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This chapter took me forever to write! Well, ok, not forever, but certainly long enough. Well, I hope this signals the story getting itself back on track. Thank you all for being so patient.


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